Collateral Damage
by LAMusings
Summary: After Lennox's jab at Mel's drinking habits on Good Morning Toledo, chaos follows the Burke/Scanlon/Longo household all the way from the kitchen to the courtroom, revealing pasts best unknown and words best unsaid. Mel/Joe, Lennox/Zander, first fanfic
1. Chapter 1: A Dash of Reality

Hi all, glad to be here (finally!) and sharing my mental movies with you. This baby is the product of a boring summer job and a notebook, so be prepared for some actual excitement and drama. I appreciate even the shortest of moments spent reviewing! And the obvious:

Disclaimer: NOT MINE. Just the typical combo of college student: bored + creative + too much free time

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Chapter One: A Dash of Reality

Mel groaned as she eyed the mélange of papers the Clerk's office had sent over that morning. _Damn_, she mused, _there goes my escape to Thalie's Semi-Annual Spring Shoe 'Stravagana_; she mourned the metaphorically bulging paycheck tucked in her bra. Suddenly, a knock startled her out of her melancholic tantrum. Instinctually adjusting her cleavage, she cursed Stephanie for forgetting to buzz her about visitors once again. After the run-in with Mr. Galvatore a.k.a. Mr. Grope-y McGoo-Goo Eyes, Mel didn't take any chances.

Ready to whip out a smart jibe about overwhelming city affairs, her voice stalled and her eyes widened when she saw the mayor step into the room. "Chuck! Ma main boss! What can I do for you this fine Thursday afternoon?" Mel quipped with a charming smile, any trace of annoyance gone from her now sparkling eyes.

An average and unusually shy Italian family man in his fifties, he shot her a tight grin before settling into one of Mel's custom-upholstered wingback chairs. "Well, um, I caught your segments on 'Good Morning Toledo'…"

"You did!? Oh well, what can I say," Mel giggled, "this face is made for morning television, but I guess the ol' mouth didn't get the memo, ha! I'm just _so_ glad to be back in the office." Mel admitted sweetly, semi-honestly. "I guess I'll just have to rock it when I represent the City Council on 'Dancing with Toledo's Stars' again next month!" She gushed, missing Chuck's slight frown. "And I'll put in a good word for your reelection of course, seeing as…" But before Mel could finish Chuck signaled her to stop. She recoiled slightly. In all the years she'd worked for the city of Toledo, she'd never been shushed. "Mel, I'm not here for fun." He stated harshly before blushing and apologizing under his breath.

"After the tweet from your… brazen niece, its been brought to my attention that such behavior does not belong in conjunction with the high standards of the government of Toledo. And as mayor, it is my job to approach such negativity with a, um, steady and unbiased hand." The man recited, staring at and wringing his hands nervously. " So, um… I have to be the one to tell you that you were anonymously nominated for review this quarter."

Mel's smile faltered. She hadn't been reviewed since the completion of her first trial year with the city, and even then, it'd been for the promotion to Stephanie's current job! "If the review… if it… if it's not good you'll be up for probation on account of misconduct while a civil representative of the city and the county. It's either that or… um, or… resignation." He choked out severely. And with that, he left Mel grappling blindly for her phone in attempt to calmly tell Stephanie to cancel her appointments for the rest of the afternoon.


	2. Chapter 2: Breaking Point

The drama begins… Enjoy!

Again. Disclaimer: NOT MINE.

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Chapter 2: Breaking Point

"Ryder, forget satisfaction, it's about infatuation! If the consumer falls in love with a product, we're talkin' big bucks no matter the quality! And what does that mean? Cheaper production to satisfy increased demand, leading to a spike in profits! And of course, from there it's all about maintaining interest, but I guess we can finish that 'next class'." Joe surmised, looking over at the clock. He'd meant to start dinner fifteen minutes ago, but Ryder willingly asking questions about business? A rare moment too good to pass up for teacher Longo. "You wanna help with dinner? Chicks dig guys who cook."

Ryder rolled his eyes and smirked at Joe. "Sorry, you know I'd love to, but Vanessa's got the house to herself tonight and I haven't been out of this kitchen for the past 17 hours." Joe chuckled in reply and waved him off before turning to Lennox who looked engrossed in whatever she was typing at the dining room table.

"Little lady? Zander might dig the domestic side of you. You know, along with the 'I'm my own independent, artistic kick-your-ass Amazonian princess' side." Lennox giggled slightly before closing her laptop. "Sorry Joe, but I have a paper due by 3rd block on Monday and if I fail one more assignment in Mr. Karlton's class, I think he might literally explode." Joe sighed, but nodded in agreement, recalling the conference he'd had earlier that day with her guidance counselor. "Alright, but next weekend I'm teachin' you how to make a Longo specialty – Paprika scallops over a zesty lemon kale with risotto and just a hint of nutmeg."

"Careful Joe, your Italian's showing."

Before he could even shake his head in protest, the kitchen door burst open. Both heads whipped towards the noise, just in time to see Mel dash up the stairs. Joe called after her, but when she didn't stop, he looked at the stove clock again. Mel was home three hours early, and she'd been raving about some shoe sale for at least a week. Then the bathroom door slammed. Joe gestured to Lennox to stay put before ascending the stairs.

As soon as he disappeared, Lennox fired off a text to Ryder and Zander. _Nothing interesting happens in this house_, she thought, f_inally_! Easing her chair away from the table and tiptoeing to the base of the stairs, Lennox elected to wait until one of the boys showed up before creeping closer to the action upstairs.

Once on the landing, Joe's eyes followed the trail of tissues to the light streaming from under the bathroom door. He stepped closer and hesitated for a moment before knocking softly. "Mel?" He called uneasily. He banged a little harder, causing the shadow under the door to jump slightly. "Come on Mel, what's going on? What are you doing home so early? Oh wait, ha, let me guess, they cancelled the sale!" He joked, leaning against the doorframe cockily. He waited. No response.

"Mel…?" Joe's tone was confused, but his brain was in overdrive, assessing the situation. Mel was typically a constant source of entertainment and irritation for the stubborn nanny as well as Lennox and Ryder. She didn't clam up without a reason.

"Mel, come on, please say something." A strong wave of anxiety bubbled in his chest, causing him to jiggle the door handle a few times in weak aggression. "Mel, I swear to god if you –", His voice caught. On the other side of the door, Mel breathed a string of curses, trying to gather her voice and quivering shoulders under control. She'd accidentally let one heaving sob pass her sarcastic, narcissist armor and now it felt impossible to keep the waterworks from coming.

Sliding down the door, she crumpled into a tight ball and released the cornucopia of emotions she'd been holding in during her exit and car ride home from the office. Her wheezing, in turn, seemed to ignite a fierce protectiveness Joe hadn't know he was capable of feeling. He knew he should give her the privacy she needed, but something told him to stay.

He dropped to his knees with one hand resting on the door and one clenched in his lap, taking a deep breath. "Mel, if you're not gonna open the door, please just tell me what's wrong. I know I'm probably not the person you wanna talk to, but I'm here." He listened anxiously as she struggled to get her breathing under control. "Mel…"

She cringed. His voice had cracked in a manner only fear and concern could bring, and she felt terrible for worrying him. Choking down a few deep breaths, she slowly grasped the handle and twisted the door open. However, she immediately turned way, trying to maintain what was left of her pride in his presence. Suddenly, she felt arms encircle her waist and drag her into a seated position. She blushed when she realized she was in Joe's lap. For a moment she was tempted to bolt, but surprised both of them by curling against his chest, savoring the warmth of his neck against her forehead.

The room was quiet for a while, both trying to wrap their heads around the intimate position they'd taken. Absentmindedly, Joe rubbed her back and Mel focused on getting her now racing heart to slow down. "The mayor visited me at work today." Joe looked down at the woman in his arms in confusion. "I thought he only did bimonthly conferences with the City Counsel?" His puzzlement increased when she nodded silently.

"He… He said I'm up for review this month." Despite having only ever experienced this in a corporate setting, Joe understood and that's what got him; he knew Mel's record was spotless and that if this weren't something serious, Mel would've been out spending his paycheck as well as hers on Jimmy Choos right now. "So why now? Who nominated you?"

Joe lurched a little when he felt Mel go slack in his grip, but waited patiently for the explanation he was certain would follow now that she'd calmed down a little. "Anonymous. It's because of the whole goddamn episode with Lennox. Because… because of the picture she tweeted. If the review goes like he basically implied it would, I'll be cited with representative misconduct and basically be fired. It's either that or…" She hiccupped in attempt to circumvent the sobs she felt coming again. "Resignation."

The word hung in the air. "The reputation I've been building since they took a chance on me, a fucking shot in the dark when I was just a kid, is ruined." And with that she was gone. The dam broke, flowing silently down her cheeks, soaking Joe's characteristically too-tight t-shirt. Despite the rash emotions that had pulsed through him at her words, he merely pulled her closer and continued his comforting ministrations.

Unbeknownst to the adults in the bathroom, Lennox and Ryder had masterfully climbed the stairs and nestled in the hallway near the door. While the door had proved to be a decent barrier, their young ears and the quietness of the house and neighborhood lent the perfect setting for eavesdropping. Lennox felt her shoulders tense at the mention of her name, uncertain of where the conversation was going. However, by the time sounds of her aunt sobbing reached her a second time, she wished she'd never left the kitchen. She turned to Ryder who wore a dumbfounded look on his face. Lennox wished he hadn't heard it either. _It's all my fault_.

Suddenly she felt suffocated, by the hallway and her brother, by the occupants of the bathroom, but most importantly, by the overwhelming shame she now felt taking residence in her chest. Before Ryder could stop her, Lennox suddenly rose and bounded to her room. Ryder stood to meet her when she reappeared, purse in hand, but she pushed past him and headed downstairs. By the time he reached the bottom, he barely registered the kitchen door's click.

…

Chapter two is done! Please read on, reviews are appreciated


	3. Chapter 3: Mel's Past

And so begins the revelation of Mel's past… What are YOU expecting? Well, whatever it is, it's probably not this…. You're welcome!

Disclaimer: Not Mine.

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Chapter 3: Mel's Past

"I was like, 24 when I got the job I think? Which for the city is ridiculously young and I was really happy, you know? I'd finally done something really cool and grown-up, landing my first job. I thought… maybe, if I actually tried, people would like me, including my parents. I thought they'd notice. I thought if I entered their world – of politics and bitchery – that I'd somehow replace the old me with the perfect daughter they'd always hoped for…

And sorry if this is really fucking personal, but if I don't say it now, then… yeah. Anyways, um, I'm sure you can guess the gist of Mel Burke's True Hollywood story: lonely teenage girl with famous politician parents left to her own devices, virginity gone at 15, suspension and at least one arrest by 17, and suicide by 19… Obviously the last part was a fail…" She joked warily, wiping some stray liquid from her eyes with the back of her hand. She took a deep breath and sunk deeper into Joe's embrace.

"It was a couple weeks after I'd found out my parents were divorcing. My sister was out of the house, dealing with the baby daddy issues surrounding Lennox, and my mom was passed out in her room, probably from red wine and pills. I'd just gotten news that I'd barely passed my Precalc final and I'd be graduating on time – a miracle, trust me. I feel so stupid now, but I rushed home to tell somebody, all excited about actually doing something right, but no one was around.

"I don't remember why I felt so suffocated and depressed, but before I knew it I was in the bathroom with a razor and towels and…" She choked.

Joe remained silent, but grabbed one of her hands and began tracing soothing patterns on her palm. They remained that way for a few moments and Mel mentally thanked him for the break. She'd never told this to anyone outside of her favorite stuffed animals and journals during her final teenage year.

"I woke up in the hospital a day or two later. No one was there. Apparently the cleaning lady had found me the morning after and called an ambulance. I hadn't been strong enough to finish the job. Ha, they told me I'd passed out from the emotional trauma before I could do some actual serious physical damage. I have a few scars, but they're so minor you'd have to look for them.

But the point is, after that I started couch hopping and got into a whole lot of shit. Drugs, alcohol, fucking crocheting, you name it, I did it. I tried everything to get better and nothing worked. By some miracle my aunt's former boss a.k.a. Chuck, ironic huh, had heard from my mother that I was in a bind and offered to let me intern with the City board for like, six months or something. From there I could either take a job there if they offered one or I could figure out something else. And, I guess it's kinda obvious how it all panned out.

Somehow I passed that drug test, and somehow I got serious about helping our city, and at some point, I actually started to care about my well-being and my future. And I thank fucking god I have a house and Ryder and Lennox and my kitchen cabinets that we slaved over and my shoes and… and you instead of a cheap, meaningless headstone."

Joe's grip tightened around her almost possessively at the visual Mel's final words had elicited. He then shifted her into his chest, wrapping her arms around his neck. Feeling emboldened by the fact that she trusted him enough to explain all this, he buried his face in her neck and silently thanked God for the woman in his arms. And though it came out a little mumbled at first and his breath caressing her neck was distracting, she caught his words. "I love you Mel."


End file.
